Final Exams – Eligibility to Appear
Appearing in CA Final exams is not related to as to when you took admission to CA course or when one passed the CPT or when one enrolled for Finals!
The eligibility to appear in Final exams have always been linked to articleship. It has under different times fluctuated between eligibility to appear in last year of articleship training – last 12 months (PE-2, newer rule) to last 6 months of articleship training and even after completion of articleship (under PCC, older rule)!
As of 2011, the student has to comply with all the following eligibilities:
Criteria 1: The student should be enrolled for CA Final (obviously) at the time of filling the forms. If required as per his / her stream, s/he should have obtained the ‘Eligibility Certificate’ as well. (Eligibility Certificate system existed in Inter and PE2)
Criteria 2: If one is doing articleship, then one needs to be ‘in service’ on the first of the month of the month of exam. Indirectly it means that if you have taken termination (Form 109), and not yet joined anyone, then you wont be able to apply – as for applying for the final exams, the form has to be attested by the Principal. And also that if you take termination in between you have to rejoin before the exams. (But in Final year of training, one would need prior permission from ICAI for transfer!)
Criteria 3: On the first day of the month on which exam is to be held -
For PE2, PE2 converted to PCC or IPCC, and PE2 converted to PCC and then converted to IPCC: The student should be serving last 12 months of articleship (including excess leave).
For Inter, IPCC, PCC, and PCC converted to IPCC the student should be serving last 6 months of training (including excess leave)
For those who have completed articleship training the criteria (2) and (3) is not applicable.
Details in the ICAI Announcement
Attestation of CA Final Exam Form
If a student is doing articleship, then the exam form should be signed by the Principal. Actually, as per rules, it is only the service certificate that goes with the exam form that is compulsorily required to be signed by the Principal. The main form can be signed by any CA. But in reality such differentiation does not happen, and it is the Principal who does all the attestation.
For those students who have completed articleship, they self-attest the articleship completion declaration. So, they can get their exam form attested by their Principal or any other CA. Such other CA can be in practice or not in practice – s/he may even be located in any other city other than where one did articleship.
Attestation of Exam Form by Gazetted Officer
Apart from getting the form attested by a CA, in certain circumstances ICAI permits attestation of exam form by Gazetted Government officer
Till May 2011 as per Guidance Notes of ICAI, the Final Exam Form could be got attested even by a gazetted officer of government. However this provision has been removed in the Nov 2011 Final Guidance Notes.
But this provision exists for IPCC students. IPCC students can get their exam form attested by Gazetted Officer of Government.
However for a student undergoing articleship training, the service certificate has to be mandatorily got attested by the Principal
Reading Time at Exams
As per a recent decision of ICAI (April 2011), from May 2011 exams, ICAI will provide for 15 minutes extra reading time before the actual writing of exam. So, the question paper would be distributed 15 minutes prior of the exam time.
The reading time would be available only for the inter level (PCC / IPCC) and final level papers. This reading time will not be available for CPT or any Post Qualification Course Exams.
Exemption at Exams
ICAI provides for exemption from appearing at paper in which the candidate has scored 60% or more marks. This is notwithstanding what marks one has obtained in the other papers. One has to be present in all the papers of the group to avail this exemption. The exemption is valid for the next three attempts. However, one can surrender ones exemption prior to filling of the next attempt form.
Exemption can be availed of relating to only one attempt. (So if one thinks that one can pass the group by availing exemption in different papers at each appearance is not possible). For example if a student gets exemption in May 2010 in FR and then using this exemption appears in Nov 2010 exam and score more than 60 in SFM and CAL, but still does not pass the group, s/he wont be able to claim exemption of SFM & CAL for the May 2011. It would only be the FR exemption that would be valid for even the May 2011 exam.
Also in previous years (upto 1990s) there was a rule that to get exemption in a subject, the student was also required to score certain minimum marks in other papers of that group. However such restrictions no longer exist.
Illustration of Different Cases of Exemption
Exemption Cases (here we take examples of Final only – though the concept of exemption is applicable to the intermediate level also)
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 206
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption in FR. The exemption would operate for attempts May 2011, Nov 2011, May 2012
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 206
CM 45, ISCA Absent, DT Absent, IDT Absent : Total 45
Result: Same as Case 1
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 206
CM 67, ISCA 58, DT 79, IDT Absent : Total 204
Result: Same as Case 1
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 40 :Total 208
CM 67, ISCA 58, DT 79, IDT 38 : Total 242
Result: Result= Pass in Grp 1, Fail in Grp 2, Exemption in CM and DT. The exemption would operate for attempts May 2011, Nov 2011, May 2012
Case 5: Nov 2010: Applied for Group 1 Only and get marks
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 206
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption in FR. The exemption would operate for attempts May 2011, Nov 2011, May 2012
May 2011: Applied for Group 2 Only and gets marks
CM 67, ISCA 58, DT 79, IDT 38 : Total 242
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption in CM and DT. The exemption would operate for attempts Nov 2011, May 2012, Nov 2012
In such case, if the student applies and appears in both groups in Nov 2011 exams, he would be getting exemption in FR, CM & DT
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 206
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption in FR. The exemption would operate for attempts May 2011, Nov 2011, May 2012
May 2011: Applied for both Groups and gets marks
FR 65 (Exempted), SFM 20, AAPE 38, CAL 62 :Total 185
CM 67, ISCA 58, DT 79, IDT 38 : Total 242
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption NOT available in CAL. Exemption only in CM and DT. The exemption would operate for attempts Nov 2011, May 2012, Nov 2012
In such case, if the student applies and appears in both groups in Nov 2011 exams, he would be getting exemption in FR, CM & DT
FR 65, SFM 58, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 206
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption in FR. The exemption would operate for attempts May 2011, Nov 2011, May 2012
May 2011: Applied for Group 1 Only and gets marks
FR 65 (Exempted), SFM 70, AAPE 62, CAL 38 :Total 235
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption NOT available in SFM & AAPE. The exemption previously received in FR would only operate for next attempts of Nov 2011 and May 2012
FR 65, SFM 70, AAPE 45, CAL 38 :Total 218
Result: Result= Fail, Exemption in FR and SFM. The exemption would operate for attempts May 2011, Nov 2011, May 2012
May 2011: Applied for both Groups and gets marks
FR 65 (Exempted), SFM 70 (Exempted), AAPE 40, CAL 40 :Total 215
CM 45, ISCA 40, DT 55, IDT 45 : Total 185
Grand Total 215+185 = 400 (out of 800)
Result: Result= Pass
Update: ICAI has also recently come out with an FAQ on Exemption
Surrender of Exemption
Exemption obtained is automatically operative & valid for immediate next three attempts.
However, exemption obtained can be surrendered prior to applying for the immediate next exam. For example if one has got exemption in May exam, then the exemption has to be surrendered prior to applying for Nov exam.
Student can exercise the option to surrender the exemption at any time during the currency of the validity of exemption (ie. 3 attempts) but prior to prescribed date of next exam. The student has to furnish an affidavit on a non-judicial stamp paper of the value as applicable in the respective States, and send the request to the Exam Dept of ICAI. The institute issues confirmation letter.
Though one can surrender exemption, one cannot surrender group in which one has passed.
Verification / Retotalling
Verification may or may not lead to change in results. Its only in very small percentage of those who actually apply that their results really change. Moreover, often, the verification result in some past instances have even been declared after commencement of next exam!
ICAI provides for verification / retotalling of marks if someone is dissatisfied with the marks obtained. However, no revaluation is done. The application for verification of marks must be in the handwriting of the candidate in the language (English / Hindi) in which s/he appeared in the exams. There is no standard format as such for such application. The application be signed and be accompanied by the requisite fee.
After every declaration of exam results of May / Nov, ICAI brings out circular for verification. So students should check out the latest notification prior to applying.
ICAI Policy on Verification of Answer Sheets
Online Application for Verification
ICAI now (from Nov 2011 exams) allows for online submission of verification request relating to PCE, IPCE & Final, through its exam application portal http://icaiexam.icai.org
The details are at: http://icaiexam.icai.org/verification/index.php
Inspection / Certified Copies of Answersheet
In compliance of Supreme Court Order relating to right to obtain checked answer sheets, ICAI has in Jan 2012 come out with new rules. Under it one can:
1. Inspect ones answersheets at ICAI premises
2. Obtain certified copies of such answersheets.
The details can be found in ICAI circular: http://220.227.161.86/25566announ15243.pdf
Writing at ICAI Exam
For writing one can use Blue or Black coloured pen (but not both). One should not use any coloured pen / sketch pen / highlighter under any circumstance as that would be considered as unfair practice. However one can make diagrams or underline using pencil or pen.
OMR Form
For the IPCE and Final, ICAI has introduced OMR Sheet where the main information like roll number etc. are to be filled. As per instructions of ICAI (May 2011 Exams) this OMR sheet – particularly the computer readable part where one has to darken the numbers – is to be filled in black ball point pen.
Final Exams – Exclusions & Updates
Though ICAI does not make any concession relating to syllabus for the purpose of exam. But at times, it may exclude certain topics. So the students should be careful not to waste time studying such topics. Currently for the final exams, the following are excluded:
1. FR – Inflation Accounting
2. AMA – Time Series Analysis & Test of Hypothesis
Exclusion of Topics Announcement
Besides ICAI (starting 2011) brings out details of the Updated topics (like AS / SA / Tax / etc) & Updated study materials that are relevant for the May / Nov exams periodically around three / four months prior to the exams.
Sir, i have cleared PE 2 May 2005 and completed computer course as per ICAI guidlines in the same year, but have not registered for articleship and now wanted to register article for writing Final exam, please guide me
As you have already passed the PE2 and done computer course, get the conversion letter to the new course
http://220.227.161.86/29106validity-registration-CAcourse.pdf
(read the footnotes)
and join articleship
I have applied for both the groups of ca final exam but due to certain unavoidable circumstances i not able to appear group 1 is it fine?
Yup its fine – you will get result only of Grp 2
I cannot appear for the group 2 papers of ipce may2013, inspite of being registered. I will be giving all the papers of group 1. If I pass group 1 now, and appear for group2 later will it be counted as 3rd attempt? (this is my 2nd attempt )
There is no restriction of attempts. So why worry with numbers. The point is prepare well and write well.
I Have registered for articleship in 13 May 2013 after finishing PE II in 2006, there was gap 7 years due to some reason, if i registered now for final along with article when can be eligible for exam
Your final attempt would be in May 2016